My Wife

Some people say marriage changes you. I suppose it can if you let it. Your situation certainly changes. You can't be selfish, you're not alone anymore. If you marry an asshole, it can be really hard to do just that. Cause if your spouse does nothing but annoy you, or they don't listen to you, or they treat you like crap etc. why would you want to be good to them? However... on the other hand... if you marry someone who is awesome, who loves you and makes no effort to hide that fact, who does seemingly everything for you often not asking for anything in return, who tells you look good when you know you look like a piece of garbage who hasn't shaved in a week, who puts up with your crap EVERY DAY, and who never lets you forget that you are loved and will always be loved... if you marry someone like that, you'd have married Jen. And then I'd be a little upset.

I met Jen in high school and I thought absolutely nothing of her because she was dating one of my friends. She also didn't have much to say to me. A few years later they were still together and after knowing each other for a few years, we actually did talk a few times. Most of the guys in the group didn't like her. I never had a reason not to like and refused to drink whatever kool-aid those guys drank. Eventually they broke up after 5 years. After a while we started talking online. She said I was one of the few that she actually liked (tolerated) from that group all those years because I was always nice to her and actually talked to her without making her feel like the 3rd (20th) wheel. She was getting on me to hang out and I was totally dodging her. Making up excuses why I couldn't and whatnot. I hadn't talked to her ex in just over 6 months and they had been broken up over a year. I figured it was cool, but I was still hesitant. Eventually I cracked. Our first (date) was a movie and the experience (not the movie) provided us with 2 inside jokes within the first 3 hours. As soon as that happened, I stopped treating it like a hang-out with an old friend, and started treating it like a date. Of course I had shown up 20 minutes early to get tickets in advance so she couldn't even attempt to pay... but I would have done that anyway.

"Heaven high," and the "8:00 Matrix," are the two inside jokes that are responsible for my life being the way it is now. Because it was right around "Heaven high," that I realized I was flirting and I wasn't doing it intentionally. I was just being myself and I wasn't trying very hard. I don't say this often (ever) but sometimes when I'm feeling down or having doubts, I think back to that first date. It always makes me smile. I'll never forget it. I still have same shirt I wore that night. Every time she sees me put it on she reminds me that "That's the shirt you wore..." Every story has a beginning and that's the beginning of the story that I'm currently a part of.

Marrying Jen was the easiest decision I've ever made and the best one as well. The first year is supposed to be the hardest. I don't know, maybe for everyone else. Jen has given me a life worth looking forward to. Actually, I can't wait to be married to her for the rest of my life. At our 50th wedding anniversary, I know that I'll be able to look back on 50 years, and the one thing my mind will go to is that very first night. The night she accidentally gave me everything.